Answer directly.

“I'm fine, just a bit distracted.” You answer.

“By what?” Kyle asks with an innocent face.

“Not by what, but by who.” You decide to be direct. “You're very intriguing.”

Your date gives you a curious pleased look, clearly wanting you to go on.

“Well, you finished a burger while constantly berating my beloved Meteors and haven't spilled a bit of ketchup on your white and black dress.”

“True, that does qualify as a superpower.” Kyle smiles.

“You tell me you've never finished high school, but your more articulate and clever than anyone I have ever met.”

“I have lots of cats.” She jokes again. “I'm going to be a crazy cat lady when I'm old, but they keep you on your toes.”

“You grew up in some of the worse streets in the country,” you continue your commentary as you work out your thoughts out loud, “but you have charm, class and refinement few can match.”

“It's the perfume.” She quips, “It's from a special creator, Pam Isley, a real man-killer.”

“You're hiding something.” You state your conclusion out loud.

Her eyes freeze.

For the first time this evening, your date is speechless.

“I don't mean in a sinister way.” You reassure your date, concerned you might have offended her. “My apologizes, I tend to over think everything.”

A unsure smile runs across Kyle's face.

“It just came to be now, that you remind me of a little girl I had to do heart transplant surgery on awhile back. Charming, brave, cute as a button and a real spitfire. She had the whole floor wrapped around her finger. I got to know her very well since she was in the hospital for long time because of autoimmune complications going in, which meant I had to do several surgeries. Getting the immunosuppressants right was real a nightmare, let alone the plasmapheresis. I found out that in some ways her charm was an act, she was using it to cover up her real self. The funny thing was the person underneath the facade, when it was stripped away by the severity of the diagnosis and the multiple surgeries, was actually more kind and caring then the person she was trying to pretend to be. A real gentle soul.”

You look up at your date and she is completely nonplussed and then looks away when your eyes meet.

“I'm so sorry.” You feel quite bad about your pop-psychology. “I really shouldn't ramble on so. She was just a very special person and you reminded me of her.”

“Did she survive?” Kyle looks up, you're not sure if she is fighting back a tear.

“Just got married last month to the love of her life.” You smile. “They even invited me to the wedding. She is fully healthy and one of the most happiest persons I know.”

Kyle looks down deep in thought.

Your bedside manner is generally pretty good but how to respond in the context of a date leaves you at a loss.

After a few very awkward moments of silence you clumsily ask, “Would some dessert help?”

“Yeah," Kyle agrees, "chocolate would be real good right now.”